Original ContributionTransversus abdominis plane block as a component of multimodal analgesia for laparoscopic cholecystectomy

•TAP and OSTAP blocks were used as components of postoperative multimodal analgesia.•TAP and OSTAP block groups required less analgesia than did the control group.•TAP and OSTAP block groups required less PCA tramadol than did the control group.•VAS scores were lower in the OSTAP group than in the TAP and control groups.•VAS scores, PCA demand, and total PCA received were correlated during the first 6 hours postoperatively.

ObjectiveTo evaluate and compare intercostal-iliac transversus abdominis plane (TAP) and oblique subcostal TAP (OSTAP) blocks for multimodal analgesia in patients receiving laparoscopic cholecystectomy.DesignA prospective, randomized, double-blinded clinical study.SettingOperating room, postoperative recovery area, and ward.PatientsIn total, 60 laparoscopic cholecystectomy patients (43 women, 17 men, American Society of Anesthesiologists grades I-II) were enrolled from the general surgery department of our tertiary care center.InterventionThe patients were assigned to 1 of the 3 groups. Group 1 received TAP blocks (n = 20), group 2 received OSTAP blocks (n = 20), and group 3 patients were used as controls and received patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) only (n = 20). After the induction of anesthesia, blocks were performed bilaterally in study groups 1 and 2, using 20 mL of lidocaine (5 mg/mL). PCA with intravenous tramadol was routinely provided for all patients during the first 24 hours.MeasurementsThe intraoperative use of remifentanil, postoperative visual analog scale (VAS) scores, demand for PCA, and total analgesic consumption were recorded.Main ResultsThe patients in the control group had greater analgesic demands and analgesic consumption than did those in groups 1 and 2. However, patients in the OSTAP group had lower VAS scores than did those in groups 1 and 3.ResultsThe demand for analgesia was greater in the control group than in groups 1 and 2. Moreover, lower VAS scores were recorded in the OSTAP group than in groups 1 and 3 and were positively correlated with total PCA consumption among all patients. However, postoperative VAS scores were negatively correlated with the total intraoperative consumption of remifentanil at 24 hours.ConclusionsTAP and OSTAP blocks improved postoperative analgesia in patients receiving laparoscopic cholecystectomy, which resulted in lower VAS scores and reduction in total analgesic consumption.